The invention concerns an occupant restraint system for a vehicle, the body structure of which is covered internally by a lining.
To an increasing extent, vehicles are being equipped with inflatable protective cushions not only in the front area but also laterally and in particular in the head- and shoulder area. The gas bag, which is packed or folded forming a gas bag package, is surrounded by a casing and is stowed with the casing under the lining of the body structure. Generally, one endeavors to hide the stowed gas bag behind the lining so that it is not visible. On the one hand, the lining part serving as covering for the stowed gas bag must have a sufficient mechanical strength so that it would not detach itself from the body structure, exposing a gap through which the gas bag package would become visible and accessible, but on the other hand it must yield and give way in a controlled manner on activation of the gas bag, so as not to hinder the deployment of the gas bag. It proves to be difficult and costly to fulfill both requirements at the same time.
The present invention provides an occupant restraint system with an inflatable gas bag which with reduced expenditure ensures an unimpeded deployment of the gas bag. According to the invention, this is achieved in that the lining is provided with a recess along the edge of which the casing of the gas bag package is in snug contact, which casing is exposed or at the most is covered by a decorative cover foil or cover sheet. The major part of the casing within the packed gas bag is not covered by the lining. In the occupant restraint system according to the invention, a conventional covering for the gas bag package, formed by a part of the lining, is dispensed with. This is based on the finding that with a suitable design the perception of the gas bag package or the casing, cover foil or cover sheet holding this together in no way has to be undesirable and the resulting appearance can even be used to specific objectives as a visual design element. An advantageous embodiment of the invention consequently consists in that the casing of the gas bag package is demarcated evidently from the lining by design elements.
The covering over the gas bag package, considered necessary in conventional occupant protection systems with an inflatable gas bag, is also a protection from damage to the gas bag. However, such a protection is not required when the gas bag is stowed at a less exposed site, in particular in the roof area of the vehicle. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the gas bag package is therefore elongated and extends along a roof edge of the body structure between the roof edge and a roof lining.